


The Moon and the Sun

by foamoftheheart



Category: The 100
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kingdom, F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-21 09:29:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6046576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foamoftheheart/pseuds/foamoftheheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They meet each other without warning, within the secrets, affairs, schemes and dark passages of the castle, and collide into fireworks. They will melt and crash together, evolving with and against the other, and will desperately try to resist the inevitable sinking flow of life</p><p>OR</p><p>the one where Clarke is a princess with heavy reponsabilities towards the kingdom while competing with her twin brother for the future throne, and where Lexa gets chosen to be part of the Elite of Arkadia's kingdom.</p><p>ALSO</p><p>I promise you the story is better than the summary</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The End of a Chapter

**Author's Note:**

> Alright guys I'm trying something. Your comments would be very appreciated, since I have no idea how this fic will be received!

“Clarke Jane Griffin!” Shouted an angry voice throughout the corridors of the royal quarters. “Where are you?”

As she heard her name being yelled, the so called Clarke Jane Griffin cursed, because _of course_ , the only peaceful moment she has had during all day had to be broken by none other than her Majesty the Queen.

“We better run, Griffin, if we want to survive another day.” Octavia said, her dark-brown locks bouncing on the top of her dress as she started running down the corridor leading to the servants wing, knowing Abigail wouldn’t go looking for them there.

“I can’t,” sighted Clarke, her words making the other girl stop in her tracks. “For Christ’s sake I literally can’t go on for one minute in my day without having some royal duty to follow,” she said, shaking her head. “ Go ahead O, I’ll see you later.”

“Are you sure?” Octavia inquired, not wanting to abandon her best friend to some certain death at the hands of her mother. However, after seeing the determined look on Clarke's face, she quickly caved in.

“Your wish is my command, my Queen.” Octavia said curtsying, winking playfully before taking off, her elegant dress creating a colourful pathway behind her steps.

Before Clarke could retort some witty comment, angry footsteps stopped behind her.

“Clarke! Where were you?” Abigail asked while grasping her arm, making her daughter turn around. The frustration and the authority behind her voice would normally be enough to make any fearless warrior cry, but used on the princess, it had no effect whatsoever.

Clarke, adopting the usual unreadable demeanour she always used with her mother or any other political figure, calmly responded, “I’m sorry mother. I got delayed by an unfortunate accident with one of the gardeners. I was actually on my way to meet you.”

The older woman released the arm she was holding and straightened, regaining a more appropriate composure for a woman her rank. “Well, I hope you’re telling the truth. When I sent someone for you earlier this afternoon and you didn’t show up, I got a little worried.”

Clarke rolled her eyes at her words. “You’re always a little worried, mother. Why did you want to see me?” She said , without detour.

A sad veil briefly obscured Abi’s dark eyes at the words, immediately making Clarke feel guilty at the sight. Yet her mother cleared her throat, brushed it aside and quickly moved on to the reason as why she was there in the first place.

“Well, apart from my concern for your well being, I also need you to come prepare your attire for tomorrow’s ceremony and to rehearse your speech. Julian is already discussing with the counsellors in order to finalize the last details.”

 _Of course Julian is already there. Why wouldn’t he be,_ thought Clarke, a bitter taste in her mouth. _The perfect prince._

Abigail flattened down the flounce of her dress, oblivious to Clarke’s displeasure. “Meet us in the Great Hall after you’re finished.”

Watching her mother walk away, Clarke took a deep breath, dreading the long hours bound to come.  
________

“Again!” The master shouted.

Lexa’s shoulders slumped at the resonating words. She was tired and wanted nothing more than to finish this interminable training session. She wiped the sweat dripping from her face and regained her stance, cursing mentally against the never-ending day. The sounds of swords clashing together, of pained growls and angry shouts echoing on the thick stone walls were giving her a growing headache. She could feel the piercing look of the fencing master upon her. She didn’t even have the time to think about it that the boy was already lunging forward, sword pointing towards her stomach. She chuckled. He was always so predictable.

She swiftly dodged the thrust of his sword, simultaneously deflecting it on her left side, and used the opening created by forcefully kicking him in the ribs. The strong hit made him step backwards, but he quickly regained his balance and rapidly responded by a series of resounding hits on Lexa’s sword, trying to pierce her unbreakable defense or simply forcing her to make some reckless move.

The boy’s sword being larger and heavier than Lexa’s, therefore way more efficient in blunt attacks like these, allowed him to gain momentarily the upper hand on Lexa, whose blade was thinner and more precise. But Lexa was relentless, smarter and better. As an other blow came toward her, she didn’t hesitate and eluded it while using the pommel of her sword to strike him under the chin, sending his head and body flying backwards.

She started to feel guilty for a fleeting instant, but the bothering presence of the hovering master, the suffocating heat and the ache in her bones were making her impatient and she just wanted to get this over with. Additionally, she knew that in the middle of a battle she couldn’t afford these kind of distractions if she wanted to survive. And so she kept her stoic mask on, and as the other student fell to the ground, she put her foot on his chest, pressing down and placing the tip of her blade against his throat.

Caught under the girl's hold, he hit the floor with his fist and angrily huffed. “Alright you win, you win. Get off me."

Lexa freed him and gave him a hand to help him up. “Don’t be angry Bell. You fought well, but you’re too reckless. You need to be smarter,” advised Lexa, noticing the frustrated expression on Bellamy’s face.

He passed a hand through his dark hair and wiped his face with the end of his shirt, trying to get rid of the dirt accumulated during training, his breathing still uneven from the physical effort. Frowning, he replied. “I know, I know, don’t worry. I’m just starting to get increasingly nervous about tomorrow. What am I going to do if I’m not picked by the Commander to be a part of the Fighters’ faction? ”

As Lexa opened her mouth to give some sort of reassurance to her best friend, the teacher interrupted them, his voice silencing the room.

“This was your last training session as a student of the Ark Academy. Tomorrow, you’ll either become part of the Elite, if you get accepted by one of the 5 factions, or downgrade to normal occupations, and all your time spent here will have served nothing.” Sir Ronald said, his blazon from the Fighters’ division shining under the sun. “We prepared you since you were 14 for this. We have high expectations that a large number of you will be picked by the leaders of the different factions. Don’t let the Academy down and good luck for tomorrow. Class dismissed.”

“What are you going to do if you don’t get picked by at least one of the factions?” Bellamy inquired over the increasing volume of students talking and tidying up their things.

“I have no idea.” Lexa admitted, sighting. The only thing she knew was that she wanted nothing more than being picked by the Fighters and that she would feel very disappointed if another faction than them would end up choosing her. Although she would still accept it if, since she’d sincerely prefer being part of the, say, the Specialists, than not being part of the Elite at all and spend the rest of what would certainly be a long, pointless and boring life with the rabble of Arkadia.

There were precisely five factions that were a part of the Royal Elite : the Fighters, the Specialists, the Sages, the Gifted and the Assassins. The Fighters were excellent combatants; they were fearless, and strategic. They were the elite soldiers of the Queen, the kingdom’s most official and competent defenders. They formed the royal guard, which consisted mainly of the commander and the various generals, as well as fulfilling other important combat functions. The second faction, the Specialists, were inventive, ingenious and skilled handed. They created new weapons, objects and invented new technologies. They worked closely with the Sages, but concentrated specifically on applied research. The Sages were more concerned with fundamental research, pursuing the most knowledge they could discover, and were all incredibly clever. They were often consulted by the Queen or the other factions to help settle the kingdom’s various problems.

The fourth faction regrouped the Gifted, which were highly rare people who had special “talents”. They had, amongst other things, extremely sharp senses that were incredibly more performant and acute than the average population. They also had supernatural abilities that varied, depending on the Gifted’ genetics and simple luck. The former usually consisted of the ability to levitate things, control the natural elements or read minds. These four factions were all interdependent, and needed each other to work well. When they disagreed or refused to cooperate, it was always the whole kingdom that would suffer from it and the Queen had to invariably step in to solve these conflicts the quickest way she could.

The Assassins, forming the last faction, were the most mysterious of the Elite. Nobody knew who they were, where they hid, or what they did. They were barely talked about in the Academy, and consequently it was almost impossible to try to prepare to be chosen by them, which is why no student did, and no student expected it either. Officially, they worked for the Queen as well as being represented by her, their leader staying anonymous.

She had been preparing for this ceremony for a good part of her life now, and she was literally better than everyone else at the school. She’d be damned if she wasn’t picked by anyone. She had been sent to the Ark Academy when she was only a 7 years old little girl. This building, its rooms and luminous hallways were all of her life. Her parents had left when she was three, leaving her to the caring hands of her uncle, the brother of her dad, Sir Ronald of Ailos, who was already working at the Academy as one of the three fencing masters at the time. He had took care of her, fed her, clothed her, trained and educated her during all her youth. He had ultimately brought her into the Academy when she had just turned 7, seeing the thirst for knowledge and great potential she showed. She stayed in one of the bedrooms offered by the Academy, usually offered to the students living too far away to get home after every school day, and assisted to his uncle classes, as well as some others that were given. She discovered all the secret passages and secret spots of the school and used to prank teachers who never suspected her. It was her home. It was all she knew.

“But you shouldn’t worry too much Bell. You’re a great student, and this hasn’t changed since first year. If you don’t get picked, nobody’s going to make it.” Lexa said, shoving him gently with her shoulder. “Well apart from me, of course,” she added, making Bellamy huff at her arrogant confidence.

Bellamy and Lexa had a relationship most people would envy. They knew each other by heart, sometimes better than they knew themselves. However, their relationship hadn’t always been as strong as it was now, even if it can be hard to imagine. They had a pretty rough start in fact.

During the first training session ever of the year, she had been paired with Bellamy to exercise in hand-to-hand combat technique. Sir Ronald, the fencing master, had just showed them some moves and was walking around the room, evaluating the students skills and correcting their mistakes.Of course, to have been accepted at the academy, all the new students had to pass and succeed a few tests through a rigorous and severe process. It was the academy, and their goal was to assemble the best defenders of the kingdom they could, which meant that every person allowed to study there had deserved their place and had shown great potential. However, Lexa had already been studying non-officially at the school for a few years under her uncle tutelage , and consequently was better than all the other new students could ever be in their first year; including Bellamy. 

 

The young boy at the time was incredibly arrogant, especially since Lexa was a girl and he thought that she didn’t stand a chance against him. The brash attitude of Bellamy had immediately got on the nerves of Lexa, who started to strongly dislike him.

When she ended up easily beating him and receiving a favorable nod from Sir Ronald, Bellamy’s pride had been hurt, and the defeat was hard to swallow. At the end of the week, as they had been forced to train together every day since then, Bellamy had finally build up the courage to excuse himself to Lexa and swallow his pride, and even if she had refused to shake the hand presenting itself, she still had nodded at him. He was forgiven.

After that, they gradually started to grow a liking into each other, and by the end of second year were almost inseparable.

As they exited the fencing room and started walking towards the dining hall, Bellamy responded, “Alright hot shot, if you say so.”

“Hey guys,” shouted a familiar voice behind them, “Wait up!”

They didn’t have the time to turn around that Raven was already beside them, beaming.

“‘Sup, douchebags’” said Raven, holding a strange device in her hands.

“What is that?” they both said, confused as to what she was holding.

Raven’s eyebrows went up, “ Well it’s pretty complicated, I don’t think brutes like you two would understand…”

“Come on Rae, stop playing,” Bellamy said. “What is it?”

“Today was the final day to finish the weapon we were supposed to create throughout the year in my Engineering & Combat class.” Raven started explaining. “Since it’s everyone’s last day at the academy, the professor let us leave with it.”

She smiled and held up the weapon, “Look at this magnificent creation.”

The “magnificent creation” was in fact a retractable blade combined with a clever mechanism, the weapon used with a protective bracer designed to put around the wrist. The blade, hidden under under the wrist, could discreetly be extended or retracted by a flick of the wrist by a spring system. The blade in itself was rather short and thin, only a bit longer than the hand, but was still strong and sharp, insuring its deadliness, discretion and versatility.

Upon the wrist and on the protective bracer, we could see the symbol of Arkadia’s kingdom elegantly crafted in fine silver , integrating beautifully to the black, thick leather of the bracer. The symbol in itself, an arc aiming at the sky between two moon crescents, was already beautiful but on this piece, and having been designed by Raven’s skilled hands, it was simply stunning.

As Raven was showing them how the weapon worked, Lexa and Bellamy stared in awe, impressed by the graceful yet deadly weapon she’d made.

 _All the things I could do with this_ , thought Lexa, staring dreamily at the hidden blade.

“Close your mouths, the both of you. You look like a dying fish.”

They closed their mouths, embarrassed by their reaction.

“Well Raven,” said Lexa, clearing her throat, “you did a good job. The Specialists will be lucky to have you in their ranks.”

The comment seemed to please Raven, who knew that Lexa wasn’t the type to give compliments so easily.

“Yeah Rae this is amazing!” added Bellamy. “Will you let us try it?”

“Only if you give me your desserts.”

“Ah come on Rave, that’s not fair.”

Unapologetic, Raven retorqued, “Well life’s not fair, Bell, thought it up.”

“Alright I’ll do it.” Sighted Bellamy.

“Great! Then it’s settled. Now, let’s go eat.” said Raven, making her way to the dining hall amongst the crowd of students leaving their classes.

They stepped in the dining hall and took a seat at their favorite table, one of the only ones close to the big windows. They could see the kingdom’s south landscape laying onward the horizon, softly illuminated by the sunset.

It really was a sight to see. The trail leaving the academy and meandering into the little wood leading to the west gate of the castle, the flock of birds flying above the ocean and disappearing into the incandescent beams of light and the children playing in the gardens surrounding the castle. The green hill hurtling down from the side of the Academy to the large rocks that delimited the coast, standing proudly and strongly at the end of the defying cliff that stood high above the forceful waters, drawing the impassable frontier between the kingdom and the imponderable ocean.

The scenery spread before Lexa’s eyes suddenly made her eyes water. She, for the first time of the day, realised the enormity of the moment. This was the very last time they would sit at this table, and witness the dazzling sight from this particular window. This was the very last time that she would eat at this same table, with her same friends and the same windows, like she had done for the last five years of her life. _This_ , was the end of an entire chapter of her life.

The fingers that slipped between hers made her close her eyes, one single tear escaping from her closed eyelids. She held tightly to Bellamy’s hand, took a deep breath, and swallowed her tears. Bellamy stayed silent, one of his leg shaking under the table and his throat quivering, while Raven turned her head, wiping discreetly her eyes. After the food was brought to the table, they wordlessly started to eat, each of them buried in their thoughts and in the nostalgy of the moment.

As they got up to leave, they didn’t share a hug, or a goodbye. They looked at each other, all the words of the world swirling into their eyes, the finality of the moment weighting on their shoulders. They nodded, once, and parted ways, the thoughts of tomorrow heavy on their minds.


	2. The Choosing Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter has not a lot of action, but tells more back-story, of the characters as well as the kingdom's history in itself. In the next chapters we will see more interactions between Lexa and Clarke of course, but also a lot more action, now that the context and basic informations about the story have been set up.

Clarke arrived in the Great Hall in the early evening, after finally bringing, with the dressmakers, the final preparations to her official clothing arranged for the upcoming ceremony. She was relieved to finally get out of the testing and trying on clothes, and felt a bit of the tension accumulated during the day disappear at the view of the hall.

She always liked spending time in the Great Hall, even when it involved politics. She loved its architecture and the peaceful atmosphere it conveyed. The room was large and open, located in the very center of the castle. An impressive carpet, hand-woven by the best artisans in the kingdom, covered the center of the room, its colours and patterns matching perfectly with the refined wooden floor under it.

The big dimensions of the place could hold a crowd of at least one hundred people, which allowed it to be used for the various official events that took place at the castle, like dances, political reunions, anniversaries, or ceremonies. And that was only the first floor, since the hall was high enough to have balconies encircling its sides. Pillars were supporting the upper floor, each of them placed at equal distance from the other, creating a sort of darker and more private passage under the balconies and all around the room. Small doors were situated under the balconies, leading to various corridors and rooms of the castle. Two large doors, made in Arkadian wood, the rarest of the kingdom, were situated at both of the extremities of the room, the north one leading to the council room and the south one to the main hall of the castle.

A fireplace adorned the right side of the room, and different chairs and tables were scattered around the hall, removed at will according to the type of events that took place. Four banners displaying Arkadia’s symbol were hanging from the top of the pillars, one in each corner, recalling the importance the hall represented for the kingdom.

As she walked in, dressed in a simple tunic tucked messily into close-fitting black pants, her feeling of peace quickly vanished when she heard the intensifying discussion between the Royal Council already there.

The Royal Council, formed by all the trusted counsellors of the Queen, which consisted of the five leaders of the factions, her right hand man and her two children, was always very tricky to handle. The five leaders were very different from each other, all of them literally personifying the unique characteristics of each of their faction, and the mix could sometimes be disastrous.

The most fierce was Indra, the leader of the Fighters. She was fearless, strict and hard, but also loyal, and fair. She wasn't the type to make friends, and if she liked you, you definitely were one of the lucky ones. The leader of the Specialists was Sinclair, a clever and ingenious man, who was one of the most resourceful counsellors, always giving new ideas and always very logical in his choices.

There was also Kane, collected, rational and cautious, thinking constantly with only his head, like all Sages did. At the council was added Titus, the leader of the Gifted, who was usually very spiritual and connected to his environment. He was usually the counsellor the Queen went to see when she wanted to know the state of her population and their “pulse”.

Despite their great qualities, they also didn’t fit well with each other the majority of the time. Clarke sighted. She was used to it by now, to the bickering between them, but it never made it less annoying.

She glanced at her mother, who was quietly conversing with _Thelonious Jaha,_ her annoying right hand man. Clarke did not like him. During these past few years, he had gradually grown closer to the Queen, and she didn’t like the direction it was taking. There was something shady about him that Clarke couldn’t exactly pin point, the only thing she knew being that she _definitely_ did not trust him, no matter what her mother said.

Both of them were standing in the background, carefully watching the leaders, probably discussing on the most appropriate way to handle the situation. Julian was standing beside them, passively watching the scene, waiting for the situation do die down on its own.

Conflicts between the five factions were common, inevitable. Understandably so, since they had different interests, goals and ambitions. Fights or disagreements were bound to happen.  But they still had one in common : their hunger for power. Of course, in the public eye, they certainly didn’t let it show. They all worked for the “greater good” of Arkadia , always fulfilling the population’s interests first. But Clarke wasn’t delusionnal, and she had learned very early in life that things weren’t always what they seemed. Big words or political gestures were hardly ever done for the goal they claimed, but for other reasons, kept secret. To understand the leaders and the other factions, you only had to understand the real motivations behind their every move or action, so that you could then take decisions, according to these hidden motives. The main motivation being : the gain of power.

Clarke had taken a lot of time to grasp the reason of this need. Was it just to be superior to the others? For the sole sake of having the upper hand? However, the answer was a simple one. When a faction, or when anyone really, has more power than the others, and over the others, it assures one single thing : its survival. When you dominate others, you guarantee your own survival, which is the only motive stronger than _everything_ ; stronger than friendship, family, or even love. And it was a primal need and instinct present in _every human being._  

Additionally, because Clarke understood that, and them better than her mother or her brother ever could, she always ended up being the one making peace between them. Sometimes she indubitably wished it wasn’t the case.

“Alright alright, what’s the problem now?” Clarke said, bracing herself for whatever was about to happen.

“Evening, Princess Griffin. Could you maybe explain to _Indra_ here that the addition of a new chosen Assassin is imperative and that she's being stupid for arguing against it?” Anya said, her stance getting more aggressive by the minute.

“Well, your Highness, could you maybe give the message to _Anya_ here that she doesn't need these two recruits and that she’s being ridiculous?” Indra said, her jawbone contracting, showing her barely contained frustration, nose to nose with Anya.

“Enough!” cried Clarke.

Anya crossed her arms, allowing a momentary truce.

” _Both_ of you,” as Clarke looked pointedly at Indra, who had not backed off.

Indra debated internally for a few seconds, before giving up and stepping back, finally allowing a civil discussion.

“Thank you. Anya, why would you need to recruit more people this year? Did something happen?

“You don’t know?” Anya looked at Clarke, her eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. “I told your mother yesterday, I thought she would have mentioned it to you by now...”

Clarke cursed mentally. Of course she had been kept out of the loop, albeit it would have only been surprising if she wasn’t used to it by now. It definitely wasn’t the first time her mother and her brother went behind her back.

 _A happy, happy family,_ thought Clarke.

Not showing anything, she turned towards the Queen.

“Oh well, we didn’t really had the time to talk since yesterday, we’ve both been pretty busy, although I’m certain she would have talked to me about it soon enough. Right, Mother?” Clarke said, trying to keep the front up in front of the Royal Council, not wanting them to think that their Queen had voluntarily omitted telling her the information because she thought her unfit to deal with the situation.

“Yes, of course my dear!” Abigail responded, joining the act. “It probably only slipped my mind, I hardly even had the time to eat today I was incredibly busy. Be assured that I will remember better next time.”

Julian had an arrogant look on his face, his petty joy barely hidden behind his grey eyes.

Clarke found herself wishing she could punch it out of his face.

“Since I’m not aware of the situation, would someone kindly care to quickly brief me?”

Anya crossed her hands behind her back. “ Not at all, your Highness. To keep it short, I lost 3 of my Assassins last night. That is a lot, especially considering our already low number of active assassins. One of my men reported that their three dead bodies had been found in proximity to Azgeda territory. We think the assault wasn’t a coincidence…” She looked at Clarke, the meaning of her words sinking slowly sinking in.

“You think they did it?” Clarke said, waiting for a response she didn’t need. She already understood all the implications of the dramatic event. Azgeda was finally starting, slowly but surely, their war against Arkadia. And this vicious attack was only the beginning.

“My Assassins were poisoned by Night Shadows. The killers were too coward to do the job by the book and face them head on,” the disgust evident in her voice.

Night Shadows were a plant that could only be found deep into Azgeda’s territory. It was a flower completely black, from the stem to the petals. The toxin contained in the plant was deadly, killing only 10 minutes after being ingested, and a complicated antidote that only the sages could create was the only known cure. The use of this flower to kill was a classic Azgeda move.

“It could have also been someone who bought it on the black market, but it is very expensive. Also, why killing them? How did they knew they were assassins? I doubt the attack was a mere coincidence, Princess. They were definitely targeted.”

Anger was boiling into Anya’s eyes. She had always hated Azgeda. Obviously she wasn’t the only one, Azgeda being Arkadia’s sworn enemy for many years now.  Azgeda was actually the only enemy worth considering by Arkadia. They were the only other kingdom close to them, the others scattered across the SanGrounds, which was empty territory (yet to be conquered because of the dry and unwanted soils) separating the two civilizations from the rest of the world.

The two kingdoms had never been involved into a full blown war, usually even trading with the other and participating to a few official political events, but they always had rough and unstable relations, punctuated here and there by little conflicts, officially discouraged by each of the kingdoms, but secretly encouraged by the same ruling class. They also entertained a deep hatred for the other, even if they usually hid it behind false smiles and meaningless diplomatic gestures. They saw the other as a threat, eyeing the other, anticipating and waiting for the other one to make the first move, awaiting the attack that would be the final straw.

There were also, in Arkadia’s very cities, certain groups of people calling themselves _The Revolutionnaries,_ who openly campaigned and supported Azgeda’s kingdom, rejecting their own monarchy. When they drew too much attention, the Queen would send guards to suppress the movement and keep control over the turmoil.

With the exterior threat and interior threat, needless was to say that people were increasingly concerned by the arrival of a war, and also increasingly hateful of the other civilization.

“I just lost 3 of my division, Princess Griffin” Anya said, the pain evident in her voice. “We need more recruits, and even more now that we know that Azgeda is starting to move their pieces on the chessboard.”

“Did Azgeda claim the attack? Did we talk to them?”

Abigail chimed in, “I sent a messenger as soon as I heard the news. We will not have any news of the attack before a week, at the very least.

“This is only one more reason to not let Anya have any more recruits. We don't have any real proof or confirmation that the attack is from Azgeda, these are only mere hypotheses.” Indra stated vividly, fiercely defending her point. “This is ridiculous. More recruits aren't necessary, and only deprives the other factions of potential candidates.”

Abigail cleared her throat, fearing another confrontation, and lifted her hand in the air, the gesture immediately silencing the council.

”I suggest we put the decision to a vote. Those opposed to Anya’s proposition of upgrading the number to two Chosen?”

Sinclair raised his hand, followed by Jaha, Lincoln and Kane.

“Those in agreement?”

Clarke, Julian, Anya and Titus raised their hand, Anya cursing under her breath at the tie.

“The vote is a tie. I will take the final decision.”

She took a beat, carefully weighing up the pros and cons, and seemed to take a decision.

“I choose to approve Anya’s demand. She has the right to recruit one more person this year, under the special circumstances the attack has posed.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. You won’t be disappointed” Anya said, grateful for the decision.

“I don’t doubt it. As for tomorrow, everything has been prepared and rehearsed, so I expect the ceremony to be perfect,” reminded Abigail. “Otherwise, I officially declare this council over.”

“Until tomorrow.”

“Until tomorrow,” everybody simultaneously responded, before the council quickly faded, all of them relieved to finally be able to attend their own business.

As the others left the room, Clarke  tiredly sit on a chair placed near the fireplace, enjoying the comforting warmth of the fire and the soft material underneath her. She let out a breath of relief, closed her eyes, wore out, and fell asleep only a few minutes after, her body sinking further into the chair.

 

* * *

 

She woke up with a start, to the sound of voices gradually approaching. She rubbed her eyes, massaging her sore neck who had painfully fell to the side while sleeping. The fire before her reduced to mere ember, Clarke guessed she must have been asleep for at least an hour, if not more.

The voices got louder, instilling a growing panic in her. Whoever they may be, she couldn’t afford being seen like that, half-asleep and sprawled onto a random chair. She sprang to her feet, fixing her hair and attempting to make the last imprints of sleep disappear from her face.

As the voices got louder and closer, however, she breathed a sigh of relief. She knew who these voices belonged to.

“Where is she? Wasn’t she supposed to meet you after the ceremony preparations?” said Bellamy with a worried tone.

“Ugh you’re so annoying,” responded an exasperated Octavia. ”Stop acting like a lost puppy.”

“Guys I’m right here,” Clarke signaled with a hand gesture while walking toward them

“Clarke, finally!” Octavia said, relieved. “I went looking for you in your room but you weren’t there, so Bellamy and I got worried, since, hum...”Octavia looked at the ground, ashamed. “Well you know…”

Clarke’s heart tightened at Octavia’s allusion.

 

* * *

 

_“Clarke, you can’t do anything for him anymore. Come on, they need to take his body now. It’s been 2 hours. I beg of you Clarke, let go of him.”_

 

_“He’s dead mom. He’s gone. Why aren’t you crying? What is wrong with you?”_

 

_“A queen doesn't cry Clarke.”_

 

_She kneeled beside Clarke, putting a protective arm around her shoulders. She took a shaky breath. “A future queen either. Look at me.”_

 

_Clarke didn’t move. A rock sinking into the abyss. A drop falling helplessly from the sky._

 

_“Look at me Clarke.”_

 

_Clarke raised her piercing blue eyes, meeting the dark ones of her mother, a never-ending ocean of sadness colliding against a hardened wall. Rivers flowed from her eyes, digging furrows into her skin. Abigail briefly wondered if she could drown from this single look._

 

_She softly put  her hands around her daughter’s face, her thumbs caressing her cheeks and getting soaked under falling tears._

 

_“Listen to me, sweetie. He’s gone. We can’t do anything about it. It’s over. They will take his body now,for the funerals, and you will see him again. Soon, I promise. This is not a goodbye. You have to pull yourself together.”_

 

_The moment of a heartbeat, Clarke counted. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three heartbeats… It was so easy. It was so loud. Her heart, bloody and red, waiting at the limit of her chest. Trying to cross the veins, the bones, the skin..._

 

_“Remember what your father used to say…”_

 

 _Clarke closed her eyes. She didn’t want to hear it. It hurt. Why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt so fucking much? She clawed at her chest, choking on tears, wishing her heart would stop trying to get out, would stop beating, would stop trying to desperately_ live _... Stop,stop,stop…._

 

 _“‘Everything ends, even if we don’t want to. The moon will never stop moving_ . _We just have to make sure that the ones left behind_ never stop fighting.' _Remember Clarke, remember what he used to say...The moon will never stop moving.”_

 

 _Then why did it felt like the earth was free falling into nothingness? Why was she feeling like nothing catched hold of herself anymore? Why? Why?_ **_Why?_ **

 

* * *

 

She forced herself out of her painful memories, angry at herself for letting her walls down. She didn’t care anymore. She was over it. She wasn’t the scared little girl that she was two years ago. She wasn’t _weak_ anymore.

Ever since the death of her father, people had started to treat her differently. The shift was subtle, but Clarke had clearly felt it. Her family and friends had started to worry if they lost sight of her for too long, as well as being very careful to never bring the topic of the King’s death, or anything remotely related to it in front of her. Clarke hated it. She always wondered when everything would go back to normal. Although the kingdom hadn’t start treating her differently, her close ones had. And  again, she hated it.

And so she had built a wall. An unbreakable fortress, guarding her heart, protecting her from the outside world, and the cruelty of life. A wall that _nothing,_ she swore to herself, _nothing_ would ever break.

Not wanting to make Octavia worry or feel bad though, she quickly reassured the other girl.

“It’s okay O, I  appreciate the concern.” Clarke softly stated. “Both of you,” looking at Bellamy, not forgetting him.

“So…” Octavia started slowly, “how did it go?”

“As usual. They kept bickering about the ceremony and the... details of it.”

She wished she could reveal more, but Bellamy was standing right beside them and he couldn’t know anything, so she kept silent, keeping the information for later.

“Are you ready for tomorrow, Bell?”

Bellamy passed his hand through his hair, a habit he had developed when he was nervous or uncertain about something. “Yeah, I think. I’m pretty nervous though?”

“You’re such a wimp,” Octavia chimed in. “And you think the fighters are going to pick you?”

Octavia had always been like this towards her brother. Saying they had a tumultuous relationship was a big understatement. Being the bastard child of her family, Octavia Blake hadn’t had an easy life, constantly existing in Bellamy’s shadow.

She’d grown up without a father, the man leaving them when he’d learned that his wife had got pregnant from another man than _him_. Their mother, losing her wealthy husband and getting a bastard child, ended up working as a servant in the castle, the Queen taking pity on her.

Bellamy had always took care of his sister, considering he was three years older than her, even when she didn’t want his help or presence. They loved each other very much, but she was also very jealous of him, since he had all the rights a legitimate child had, like studying at the Ark Academy or being able to be a part of the Elite, and she had almost nothing, as well as no status whatsoever.

The feeling of worthlessness she constantly held explained her cold behaviour regarding her older brother, for she was only trying to compensate the situation.

“At least I have a chance to get in, unlike you”

“You know perfectly well that this is not my fault.” Octavia said, contracting her hands into tight fists.

“Ugh not you too?” Clarke said, exasperated. “I literally just spent my evening trying to manage childish adults, can everybody just stop please, for once?”

Octavia and Bellamy looked at the floor, chastened.

“Sorry,” Bellamy said, “I guess we’re just tired from the day, and maybe a bit cranky.”

“We should go to the gardens, it will take your mind off of it.” Octavia proposed, knowing they were one of Clarke’s favourite places of the castle.

Indeed, when Clarke needed a moment to breathe, the gardens surrounding the castle were always one of the first place she went. The peaceful atmosphere encompassing the plants and flowers, and hedges and small trees, combined with the soothing melodies sung by the various birds, usually succeeded in giving her a moment to rest and think.

Octavia and her had also a lot of good memories to these gardens. Like that time when they had played tag and Clarke had ploughed straight into some random Sage, whom had dropped all of his books on the ground and held his private parts in pain, his face red and his eyes bulging, where Clarke had unfortunately did the most damage. She and Octavia had ended up wetting their pants by laughing too hard at his pitiful position. Or when they used to play hide and seek, and had gotten so good at it that each time Clarke’s parents would try to chase them to find Clarke, they always missed her, no matter how many servants or guards they picked to help them. These were innocent and joyful times, the memories that had gave such a meaningful place to the gardens in Clarke’s heart.

“Come on let’s go.” Octavia took her hand and pulled her towards the door, not letting her a chance to say no.

Clarke smiled at the gesture, appreciating Octavia’s efforts to repay herself. Bellamy chuckled at his sister forwardness, which was so typical of her.

“Careful O, don’t forget you’re kidnapping the future Queen here. She probably won’t forget it anytime soon either.”

“Pff, Clarke wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Octavia responded, dismissing Bellamy’s comment.

“No, but I would hurt a spider though,”Clarke stated, earning a chuckle from her friend.

“Who wouldn’t.”

 

* * *

 

Lexa looked at the reflexion staring at her, her curly brown hair tied into tight braids for the ceremony, her head held high and her green, unreadable eyes shining under the soft lighting of the room. Her heart was pumping fast, foreseeing the upcoming hour.

The day had passed by quickly, the evening coming alarmingly too soon for Lexa, who almost didn’t want the day to end, who wanted to push back the ceremony as much as she could. She was pretty confident that she would be picked, but she couldn’t help the nervousness she felt, the anxiety that crept up in her.

She took a deep breath, and resolutely turned around, joining her waiting uncle at the door.

“Are you finally ready to face your destiny?” Ronald said with a teasing smile.

Lexa ignored the joke. “Let’s just get it over with. I’m ready”

“Wait, I need to do something before we go…” Ronald said, as he took a stunned Lexa in her arms, choking her into a bear hug. “You’ll be alright,” he whispered, and Lexa briefly wondered  if it were more meant for him than for her.

Lexa, not used to this type of affection, stiffened into the hug, rapidly letting go. She hated big, dramatic gestures.

“Come on Ron, don’t get all emotional on me.  Let’s go,” she said, showing the corridor with her arms, intimating Sir Ronald to lead the way.

“Alright, alright,” Ronald said, sighting but resolved. He looked at her, a proud look on his face. “Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

Clarke rolled her eyes so hard at her twin that Octavia momentarily feared her eyes would remain in the back her skull.

“Are you serious, Julian? You want to take my part of the speech too now?”

Clarke didn’t even want to do it that much, but the fact that his brother was doing everything in his power to take charge of every royal duties, only to gain the good graces of the Elite and upgrade his chances of succeeding after their mother, was incredibly infuriating. His power trips made Clarke see red. She was tired of his schemes, and his egotistical person.

“Why? Do you think I’m not up to the task? That I will fuck up the whole ceremony somehow?”

“Well no. But the factions leaders, and the future Elite, deserve someone who gives a shit about the ceremony, and the kingdom’s affairs. “ Julian said, an arrogant look in his eyes. “Why do you care so much about the speech suddenly? You didn’t even want to do it in the first place.”

Clarke frowned, her stance rigid and aggressive. “You know perfectly well that _I do_ care about the kingdom. You just want to control everything, and even infringe upon Mother’s power, to take her place when she’ll retreat her place to one of us.”

She looked at him, resentment plastered across her face. “You don’t care about the kingdom. Or the others. You only care about _yourself_. No wonder Father never liked you…”

Julian frowned, hurt flashing into his grey eyes, before being quickly concealed, like only a Griffin could accomplish. Julian hardened at the harsh words, becoming increasingly threatening, a mean glint in his eyes.

Clarke knew she wasn’t being fair, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She was angry. She wanted his brother to be angry too, to feel what she felt.

 _He deserves it_ , she told herself.

 _Who are you trying to convince?_ responded her heart.

Octavia, watching the powerplay unfolding in front of her, decided it was time to intervene. “Alright guys, I don’t want to interrupt your friendly discussion, but the ceremony is in less than an hour, so maybe we should think about heading to the Great Hall, right?”

She grasped at one of Clarke’s arm and gently guided her towards the door.  “Don’t bother, Clarke.” Octavia said, throwing a glance at Julian over her shoulder. “He’s not worth it”

 

* * *

 

All the candidates were standing in tight ranks, eagerly waiting for the arrival of the Queen and the leaders of the Royal Elite. We could hear vague whispers floating above the crowd, the nervousness palpable in the air.

Three single bell sounds rang into the hall, echoing against the spacious walls, some students jumping at the sound. The sound went repeated in three sharp knocks, by someone hitting the ground with a ceremonial stick.

“We bow before our Majesty the Queen!”

In a single motion, every person present in the room bowed to the Queen, one knee on the ground and their left hand on their heart.

The Queen advanced in the room first, in long but firm strides, her dress floating behind her. Following behind were the leaders of the 4 factions, the only one missing being the Assassin’s faction, each holding in their right hand a luminous torch.

Last, but not least, came the Queen’s delegates, which consisted of her two children, Clarke and Julian, and Thelonious Jaha. Abigail stopped in front of her throne, Jaha standing at her right and the prince and princess standing at her left. The 4 leaders each took their place in front of her, forming half of a circle, and faced the crowd, the Queen in the center.

“Thank you! You can all stand up.”

As one, the crowd took their previous position.

Lexa gasped, gaining a few suspicious looks from around her.

 _Who is she?_ Lexa wondered, her eyes landing on the spot that Clarke occupied at the Queen’s left.

She had never seen her before. The girl in front of her eyes was no less than magnificent. Her blonde hair looked surreal, shining under the warm light of the different fires lightning the hall, and the dress she wore highlighted her perfectly shaped body, as well as matching perfectly with her hair and eyes. Her dainty face astonished Lexa by the beauty it held, and the elegance and refinement Clarke embodied made Lexa’s head spin. She quickly found herself wishing she knew her, intrigued by the aura she gave off.

_Is she the Princess?_

Lexa had never met the Princess, only hearing about her here and there at the Academy. She only knew that Bellamy counted her in his friends, but that was it. Since she had never set a foot in the castle, she never even had the occasion to catch a glimpse of her.

 _She doesn't look happy,_ Lexa noticed, seeing the somewhat somber look her face showed.

The Queen’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“We are here by reunited, in this late evening, to welcome a new generation of apprentices in our Royal Elite.”

A respectful silence planned over the room, everybody patiently waiting for the rest.

“They are the most respected defenders of the kingdom. They serve us, without respite, and never stop trying  to bring our civilisation higher. They are the very core of Arkadia. The beating heart that keeps us going.”

She stepped aside, nodding at her daughter.

“I will now let our Highness Princess Griffin open the ceremony.“

Clarke walked slowly to the front, her hands held tightly together. The previous anger Lexa had seen in her eyes was now replaced by a more peaceful but powerful light, her presence captivating the eyes and ears in front of her.

“In fire, you will be marked by your destiny,” started Clarke, her voice strong, stirring something in Lexa, who was more and more captivated by the person standing in front of them. “You will swear fealty not only to the queen, but to your own faction, and more even to the kingdom. From now on, you will not bow with only one hand upon your heart, but two.” Clarke took a beat, an eery silence planning in the air.

“Let’s hear the Chosen!”

The four leaders simultaneously lifted their arm straight above them, before lowering the torch in a circular motion, the flames wavering from the movement.

“First, we welcome Monroe Amado from Netz in the Fighter’s Faction.”

A girl walked out of the crowd, a relieved smile on her face.

As she stopped in front of Indra, the leader took her left wrist, and held it above the flames, simultaneously applying on the same wrist a circular piece of metal with only a crescent hole in the middle.

The flames rapidly burned the skin showing in the hole of the metal piece. She was now permanently marked by the emblematic crescent moon of the kingdom, symbolizing the commitment she was making towards the Arkadia Kingdom. As the girl let a little cry at the pain caused by the burn, Indra shot her a disapproving look.

 _She won’t be easy on us_ , Lexa noted.

Clarke continued the list, nominating the chosen, every new initiate going to the same marking process, before joining the organized ranks behind the leaders.

“We welcome Bellamy Blake from Arkadia in the Fighters,” Clarke said, her lips curving ever so slightly, happy for her friend finally getting what he worked so hard for during the past 5 years.

Bellamy, at the mention of his name, threw a fist in the air and threw a joyful glance at Lexa, happiness inscribed on his face.

Lexa smiled, happy for him. He deserved it.

Nevertheless, the nervousness she felt before quickly came back, her name and Raven’s not having been called yet.

Tapping her fingers against her legs, she waited, and waited and waited, watching the crowd around her getting smaller, students that had not been named leaving the hall disappointedly.

“Raven Reyes, accepted in the Specialists faction.”

Lexa let out the breath she didn’t knew she was holding, watching her friend walking towards Sinclair, beaming from being chosen by the exact faction she wanted. Her two friends had been picked, a small weight lifted from her shoulders. Now she only had to wait for her name.

Clarke was rapidly going to the final names, before arriving at the end of the list.

“Finally, we welcome Lea Zouan from Ailos into the Gifted faction”

And just like that, Lexa’s world fell apart.

“Every chosen tonight is now officially a part of the Elite! Although you are only apprentices, we still count on you to be the best you can, and quickly progress through the ranks.”

The princess stepped back, letting her place to the Queen.

“I have trust that you will all be exceptional additions to the Royal Elite. I place my faith in you, so don’t disappoint me. Before we part ways tonight, and you follow your respective leader to your quarters, I wish you all luck, happiness and success in what you wish to accomplish.”

“May the moon never stop moving,” Abigail finished, followed by a collective “May the moon never stop moving,” from the people present in the hall.

Lexa had not moved, still stunned by the previous events. She looked at her feets, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She felt bitter, lost, disappointed, and angry. _Five years for nothing. What did I do wrong? What happened?_ A million questions were swirling in her head, Lexa desperately trying to grasp the crushing reality of the moment. She lifted her head, meeting the worried looks of her two friends, who watched her with confusion, neither understanding why Lexa had not been picked. Sadness and pity could be read into their eyes. Lexa, hating it, hating the world and the way she currently felt, turned around, walking rapidly out of the room and into the main hall. She leaned onto the wall, slowly letting her body fall to the ground, before hiding her head into her hands

What would she do now? Lexa was devastated, she hadn’t anticipated this. Of course she had been nervous, but she had still strongly believed she would be picked. She had no plan B. No other option whatsoever. She banger her head on the wall behind her, cursing against all of this, the 5 last years, the Academy, the Queen, _everything._

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to calm down, to come back to the Lexa she really was, who did not give up, and who certainly did not fell without putting up a fight. Getting back on her feet, she firmly started to walk in the section of the castle that was assigned to the Elite, wanting to have a word with Indra, or anyone really that could accept her in the Elite. She would not let this defeat destroy the last years of her life, or her entire future.

However, she didn’t have the time to walk more than a few meters that she suddenly received a sharp hit on the head, blacking out under the hard blow. Before her limp body could hit the ground, a pair of arms picked her up, throwing her over large shoulders. The mysterious figure pressed on a very specific stone of the wall beside them, before stepping into the opening created, passage that immediately closed behind them, leaving the empty corridor empty, not a single track left behind.

  
  



End file.
